86 



Aricagua, surrounded by woody hills, and of a 

 cheerful aspect. Thence we began to ascend, 

 and the ascent lasted more than four hours. 

 This part of the road is very fatiguing. We 

 crossed the river of Pututucuar, a rapid torrent, 

 full of blocks of calcareous rocks, two and 

 twenty times. When on theCuesta de Cocollar 

 .we reached an elevation two thousand feet 

 above the level of the sea, we were surprised to 

 find scarcely any forests or great trees. We 

 passed over an immense plain covered with gra- 

 mineous plants. Mimosas with hemispheric 

 tops, and stems only four or five feet high, alone 

 interrupt the dull uniformity of the savannahs. 

 Their branches are bent toward the ground, or 

 spread out like umbrellas. Wherever there are 

 steep declivities, or masses of rocks half covered 

 with mould, the clusia, or cupey with great 

 nymphaea flowers, displays it's beautiful verdure. 

 The roots of this tree are eight inches in diame- 

 ter 3 and sometimes shoot out from the trunk at 

 the height of five feet above the soil. 



After having for a long time continued to 

 climb the mountain, we reached a small plain, 

 at the Hato del Cocollar. This is a solitary 

 farm, situate on a table-land, which is 408 

 toises high. We rested ourselves three days in 

 this retreat, where we were received with great 

 kindness by the proprietor*, who had accompa- 



* Don Matthias Yturburi, a native of Biscay. 



